A tape feeder is usually attached to a tape feeder holding device of an electronic component mounting machine such as a mounter, the tape feeder being attached to and removed from the tape feeder holding device when exchanging the type of electronic component, replenishing electronic components, and so on. In the patent literature below technology is disclosed for automatically transferring a tape feeder loaded on a preparation table to a tape feeder holding device.                Patent literature 1: JP-A-H03-029400        